1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to particle radiation therapy systems and, in particular, concerns an improved data storage system that reduces the effects of single point failures for radiation beam therapy systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Particle radiation therapy involves coordinating complex systems and devices to enable targeting of specific cancerous regions of a patient. In particular, proton beam therapy utilizes one or more precisely aligned particle streams to irradiate cancer or tumor cells. The energized protons disrupt targeted cells or tissue so as to effectively halt the progression of the disease. In proton beam therapy, the patient should be accurately positioned with respect to the one or more beams so that the stream irradiates only the desired target region. Otherwise, the stream may damage other healthy cells within the patient""s body. Specific alignment in this manner requires numerous control systems to maintain accurate and precise dosage delivery to a plurality of patients during prescribed treatments.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,287, a proton treatment facility may comprise a proton energy source, an injector, an accelerator, a beam transport system, a switchyard, and a plurality of treatment stations so as to accommodate multiple patients. Each treatment station may comprise a plurality of treatment components such as treatment platforms, gantry structures, and patient monitoring components. Additionally, control and monitoring of the proton treatment facility may be directed by computer and hardware subsystems, which coordinate the activities of each treatment station using software configurable components.
Moreover, control system activities may include beam intensity management, beam position orientation and modification, digital imaging performance, safety condition monitoring, and various other treatment functions. Together these systems form a highly complex collection of hardware and software components. The complexity of the proton treatment facility may be further magnified by managing multiple treatment stations where additional requirements for system redundancy and selective control of each treatment station is required.
The complex architecture of proton therapy systems present numerous obstacles for coordinating control of a high volume patient throughput. On a typical treatment day, prescribed treatment dosages may be configured for many patients using a plurality of treatment stations, whereby delivery of simultaneous treatments may effect concurrent treatment dosages between patients. For example, each treatment station may require a different proton beam energy delivery, wherein the overall energy is calculated and produced at the source, the switchyard diverts the proper amount of proton beam energy to each treatment station, and the multiple gantries are positioned to deliver the diverted energy to the target regions of the patients on the treatment platforms.
To elicit the coordination control of multiple treatment stations, conventional proton beam therapy control systems use either a centralized computer system, such as a database server, or separate computer subsystems to localize control. The problem with a centralized computer system is that, if one or more treatment components fails to function or goes offline, the system as a whole may shut down. Also, if the centralized computer fails, the treatment components may stop functioning because they rely on the centralized computer for operational instructions. Unfortunately, with the high volume of treatments to be delivered, a system shut down would be inconvenient, costly, and reduce treatment efficiency.
Some treatments may be delayed or postponed for another day, which inconveniences everyone including the patient and the system operators. In other circumstances, a delayed or postponed treatment may degrade the therapy provided, wherein the treatment time may need to be reduced or the dosage modified to accommodate a larger number of treatments in a reduced period of time. Additionally, delayed treatments may also incur additional treatment costs due to extended periods of operation, where system operators are paid overtime wages and the treatment delivery systems remain operable for longer periods of time. Therefore, a centralized computer alone is not the answer due to unavoidable failures that may occur during treatment delivery, which may endanger some patients.
Since patient safety is a great concern, some conventional proton beam therapy control systems use separate computer subsystems to localize control to particular treatment components. The problem with localized control is that each component requires a system operator to manually enter prescribed treatment and operational parameters for each patient at each treatment station. Unfortunately, the length of each treatment would be extended due to the additional time needed to enter prescribed parameters for each patient treatment and system operation. Also, the high volume of treatments to be delivered would need to be reduced to accommodate the additional time or additional system operators would need to be hired to extend the treatment day, which results in additional operational costs.
Hence, there is a need for an improved proton beam therapy control system that manages multiple treatment delivery components and coordinates delivery of simultaneous treatments without compromising patient safety. There is also a need for an improved proton beam therapy control system that reduces the adverse effects of centralized computer failures if one or more treatment components fails to function. Additionally, this system architecture should be able to accommodate the complexity associated with proton beam therapy control systems while maintaining an acceptable level of user interactive simplicity so as to facilitate configuration, maintenance, and development in an efficient manner.
The aforementioned needs are satisfied by a radiation beam therapy system having a plurality of treatment devices including a radiation beam source and a beam transport device. In one embodiment, the radiation beam therapy system comprises a database component that stores subsets of parameters associated with selected treatment devices, wherein the parameters comprise instructional information that can be used to configure the selected treatment devices for operation. In addition, the radiation beam therapy system comprises an interface component that allows a user to modify the subsets of parameters associated with selected treatment devices stored in the database. Moreover, the radiation beam therapy system comprises a management component that extracts subsets of parameters from the database and generates data storage elements comprising the extracted subsets of parameters in a format recognizable by the selected treatment devices, wherein the data storage elements permit configuration of the selected treatment devices based, at least in part, on the instructional information comprised therein, the management component further distributes the data storage elements to the selected treatment devices to thereby permit the selected treatment devices to operate independently of the database component.
In one aspect, operation of the selected treatment devices includes a treatment mode of operation. The plurality of treatment devices includes at least one of a charged particle source, an accelerator, and a beam transport system. The source or accelerator includes a proton synchrotron and the beam transport system includes a plurality of steering and focussing magnets with beam sensors distributed along an evacuated beam transport tube. The beam transport system connects to a series of switchyards that include an array of dipole bending magnets which deflect the beam to any one of a plurality of beam focussing and deflection optics leading to respective treatment locations having rotatable gantries. Also, a beam delivery system may be located within each rotatable gantry, which may be adapted to deliver therapeutic radiation doses to a patient lying on a treatment platform according to a specific patient treatment plan.
In another aspect, the subsets of parameters include treatment data, configuration parameters, operational parameters, and control settings for the selected treatment devices. The selected treatment devices are software controlled instruments that require at least one of the subsets of parameters for operation and treatment. The database component comprises a centralized database server, which stores configuration and operational information, such as data, parameters, and control settings, for the selected treatment devices in a manner so as to provide easy access to the stored configuration and operational information, wherein parameter retrieval and modification are easily performed by the centralized database server via requests from the interface component. The centralized database server provides configuration management activities, which may include record keeping and version/revision control. The management component reduces the occurrence of single point failures by generating appropriate data storage elements and distributing the data storage elements to the selected treatment devices. The distribution of data storage elements by the management component affords the selected treatment devices operational independence from the database component due to the associated reliance on the data storage elements for parameter retrieval and operational configuration.
In still another aspect, the radiation beam therapy system comprises at least one communication link between the management component and the selected treatment devices so as to distribute the generated data storage elements to the selected treatment devices. The subsets of parameters are stored in the database component in at least one of database table structures, records, and values. The data storage elements are arranged in a consolidated information set that is recognizable by the selected treatment devices. The consolidated information set exploits the native functionality of the selected treatment devices in a manner such that an additional numerical or supplemental program or application may be unnecessary for the selected treatment devices to recognize the configuration parameter values from the data storage elements. The data storage elements comprise a data type that is stored and accessed in a file-oriented manner as is suitable for each selected treatment devices. The data storage elements comprise a data type that is stored and accessed in an address-oriented manner as is suitable for each selected treatment devices. The data storage elements comprise one or more volatile or non-volatile system control files. The data storage elements comprise one or more system control files including flat files. The one or more system control files include one or more flat files.
In still another aspect, the management component sends configurable parameters to each treatment device, and wherein a selected treatment device retrieves usable parameters from the configurable parameters. Additionally, the management component selectively sends configurable parameters to each treatment device representing usable parameters by each treatment device.
The aforementioned needs are also satisfied by a radiation beam therapy system comprising a plurality of distributed functional components whose operation is coordinated to elicit a selected operational mode. In one embodiment, the system comprises a database component that stores a plurality of parameters associated with the distributed functional components. In addition, the system comprises an interface component that allows a user to select an operational mode for which the database component identifies appropriate subsets of parameters that are associated with the distributed functional components and generates at least one system control file containing an appropriate subset of parameters used to configure a selected distributed functional component to operate in such a manner to elicit the selected operational mode. Moreover, the system comprises a control file distribution component that provides each of the distributed functional components with the appropriate system control file such that the functional components are able to operate substantially independently of the database component while eliciting the selected operational mode.
The aforementioned needs are also satisfied by a radiation beam therapy system comprising, in one embodiment, a plurality of treatment devices including a radiation beam source and a beam transport device and a database that stores subsets of specific parameters associated with selected treatment devices, wherein the specific parameters comprise a logical collection of instructional information that can be used to configure the selected treatment devices for operation. In addition, the system comprises an interface that allows a user to modify the subsets of specific parameters associated with selected treatment devices stored in the database. Moreover, the system comprises a management component that extracts selected subsets of specific parameters from the database and generates system control files comprising the extracted subsets of specific parameters in a format recognizable by the selected treatment devices, wherein the system control files permit configuration of the selected treatment devices based, at least in part, on the instructional information comprised therein, the management component further distributes the system control files to the selected treatment devices to thereby permit the selected treatment devices to operate independently of the database. Furthermore, the subsets of specific parameters comprise, for example, subsets of instrument specific parameters.
The aforementioned needs are also satisfied by a radiation beam therapy system having a plurality of functional components including a radiation beam source and a beam transport device. In one embodiment, the system comprises a database that stores subsets of configurable parameters associated with the operation of the functional components, the database further comprising an interface component that allows a user to modify the stored subsets of configurable parameters. In addition, the system comprises a management component that retrieves subsets of configurable parameters associated with selected functional components from the database, the management component further generating control files from the stored configurable parameters, and subsequently distributing the generated control files to the identified functional components such that the identified functional components can operate independently.
The aforementioned needs are also satisfied by a radiation beam therapy system comprising, in one embodiment, at least one functional component that can be configured for treatment delivery via a subset of configurable parameters and a database component that stores the subset of configurable parameters as a logical collection of information, the database component having a user interface that allows a user to modify the logical collection of information. In addition, the system comprises a management component that communicates with the database component and the at least one functional component, wherein the management component identifies the subset of configurable parameters associated with the at least one functional component, generates a first file from the identified subset of configurable parameters, and distributes the first file to the at least one functional component so that, upon reception of the first file, the at least one functional component can extract the subset of configurable parameters from the first file and configure itself for treatment delivery.
The aforementioned needs are also satisfied by a method for managing a plurality of distributed instruments used in treatment delivery for a radiation beam therapy system. In one embodiment, the method comprises storing operational instructions for each instrument within a centralized configuration management system having a database component in which the operational instructions are maintained and selecting an operational mode for the radiation beam therapy system and identifying a subset of operational instructions stored in the database component for each of the distributed instruments to be used in configuring the radiation beam therapy system to function in the selected operational mode. In addition, the method comprises generating a data storage element for each of the distributed instruments containing the required operational instructions necessary to configure each distributed instrument to function in such a manner so as to result in the radiation beam therapy system functioning in the selected operational mode. Moreover, the method comprises transferring the data storage element to the distributed instruments thereby providing the necessary operational instructions for a selected distributed instrument to operate without requiring further access to the centralized configuration management system to elicit functioning of the radiation beam therapy system in the desired operational mode.
In one aspect, generating a data storage element includes generating a plurality of data storage elements. Also, generating a data storage element includes generating at least one flash memory element. Additionally, generating a data storage element includes generating at least one system control file. Moreover, transferring the data storage element to the distributed instruments includes transmitting the data storage element to the distributed instruments.
The aforementioned needs are also satisfied by a method of configuring a radiation beam therapy system having a plurality of functional components for directing a beam to at least one of a plurality of treatment locations. In one embodiment, the method comprises maintaining a plurality of configurable parameters in a database, the configurable parameters used to coordinate the function of the plurality of functional components thereby eliciting operational control of the radiation beam therapy system and selecting an operational mode in which the beam is to be directed to a particular treatment location with a desired set of operational parameters. In addition, the method comprises identifying subsets of parameters from the plurality of configurable parameters maintained in the database that are used to configure and control the functional components in such a manner so as to direct the beam to the selected treatment location with the desired set of operational parameters. Moreover, the method comprises generating at least one system control file which reflects the subsets of parameters used to configure and control the functional components and distributing the at least one system control file to at least one of the plurality of functional components thereby directing the operation of the functional components.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.